


Aquarius

by chick_with_wifi



Category: Person of Interest (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-29
Updated: 2016-06-29
Packaged: 2018-07-19 00:45:30
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,882
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7337803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/chick_with_wifi/pseuds/chick_with_wifi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Shaw nodded. “Yes, then we go home and email people embarrassing pictures of us stood by the sign for the aquarium doing thumbs-up then print the worst one and stick it to our fridge with a magnet to function as a conversation starter when we have guests.”</p><p>Root laughed, a full, deep laugh that gave her a stitch in her left side. “I suppose we should buy a magnet from the gift shop then? You know, to complete the effect.”</p><p>“I’ll even let you choose the colour of the magnet. It is your birthday, after all.”</p>
            </blockquote>





	Aquarius

“Root, wake up.”

Root grunted and rolled over, dark curls covering her face.

“Root, get your ass out of bed.”

By way of protest, Root pulled the covers over her head.

Shaw scoffed. “Fine, but don’t come crying to me when you miss your entire birthday because you’re too lazy to get out of bed.” She was halfway out of the door when a thump made her turn round. Her girlfriend was laid on the floor in a tangle of limbs and covers, trying and failing to stand up. “Oh, now you get up.”

“I couldn’t miss these mysterious plans I’m sure you have,” drawled Root, the effect slightly spoiled by the fact that she was sprawled on the floor with the duvet still wrapped around her long legs and hair that looked like it hadn’t seen a brush since 2013.

“Whatever, nerd.” Shaw left Root to get changed and headed towards the kitchen. As the sound of the shower running came from the ensuite, she poured cereal into two bowls and boiled the kettle. She was just sitting down with her coffee when Root emerged from the bedroom, freshly washed hair bouncing on her shoulders and wearing dark jeans and a red blouse. Sitting across from Shaw, she helped herself to coffee and looked disdainfully at the cereal in front of her. “We’re saving room for lunch,” Shaw informed her by way of explanation.  
Root took a sip and shifted more comfortably in her chair. “What are our plans?”

Shaw smiled cryptically at her. “It’s a surprise.”

A huge grin spread across Root’s face and she practically bounced up and down in her seat.

“Finch and Reese agreed to take care of any numbers and Lionel should be here right about,” she looked at her watch, “now.” The doorbell chimed and Shaw went to answer it.

“A little bird told me you and Coco Puffs wanted this one for the day,” he said, handing Shaw Bear’s leash. “Try not to let him bite anyone.”

Shaw knelt down and petted Bear. “He wouldn’t bite anyone when he’s with me, would you handsome?” The dog rolled over and Shaw tickled his stomach while Lionel watched, exasperated.

“Unlike you lot, I actually have a day job to get back to,” he said, closing the door behind himself. Root slid out of her seat and knelt next to Shaw, scratching Bear behind the ears.

After about a minute, Shaw stood up and took her coat of its peg, tossing Root hers as well.

Root shrugged on her coat. “Where are we going?”

“The aquarium. I saved the manager's life once, and she offered to keep an eye on Bear while we look around.”

…..

It was the middle of the afternoon on a Wednesday, so the aquarium was really quiet. There were a few young couples with children sleeping in prams dotted around, but nobody was paying attention to them. Root and Shaw entered, and Shaw led the way up to a desk littered with flyers for craft days and birthday parties. “Hi, Angela.” A dark-haired woman wearing glasses looked up at them and smiled.

“Shaw, hi.” She walked around the desk and stroked the dog. “This must be Bear.” She looked up at the taller woman. “And you must be Root, it’s so nice to meet you. Did Shaw tell you the story of when she saved my life?”

Root shook her head, pleasant smile automatically fixed in place. “I haven’t heard that one.”

Angela gave Shaw a look. “You should definitely tell her. It’s a fantastic story.”

By way of answer, Shaw handed her Bear’s leash. Angela took him to a dimly lit back room behind the desk and filled a bowl with water at the sink, putting it down in front of him. “He’ll be fine here. You two enjoy the exhibits.”

…..

The animal enclosure was a small rock pool with perspex walls about 15cm high. Milling around in it, lazily swimming between the logs and rocks, were 5 terrapins. Root clasped her hands in front of her chest and practically cooed at them. “Sameen, look, they’re so cute!”

Shaw tore her gaze away from the colourful ‘did you know?’ facts about terrapin’s eating habits printout pinned to the wall to look at them. One of them was trying to scramble up the perspex wall, but every time it looked like he had enough grip he slid back down again. “That one’s trying to escape,” commented Shaw.

Root pointed to another one that was calmly sat on a log watching the others. “That one’s just chilln’ on his log. Let’s call him Henry!”

“Alright then. Amir is still trying to escape.”

Root laughed. Shaw gestured to the three other terrapins who seemed to be fighting over who got to swim where. “Get out me way, George, I want to swim there. Sorry, Alfonso, you aren’t allowed past here. And now that one is hugging him. Hugging. That is completely what is happening. He did not decide to climb over him because he was in his way and that was obviously the most logical solution.”

“Henry has the right idea, staying on his log.”

Shaw nodded. “And now George and Alfonso are trying to escape again.” Root wrapped her arms around Shaw’s stomach and rested her head on the shorter woman’s shoulder.

They stayed like that, watching the terrapin’s antics, until Root grabbed her hand and led her towards the next exhibit labelled ‘Africa’. As Root led the way through the hanging chains of beads into a dimly lit room, they could hear some sort of tribal drum music playing through the speakers. Root’s eyes lit up and she started dancing, swaying in time to the beat and shaking her hips from side to side. Shaw rolled her eyes and directed her attention to the clear panels in the dark, stone-effect walls. In the first enclosure, the information sheet informed her, was an iguana. All but camouflaged, it was basking on the sand and it took her a few seconds to locate it. “What’s in this one?” asked Root, standing closer to her than was strictly necessary.

“Iguana,” replied Shaw. “And, no we are not calling it Iggy.”

“Not even if I bought you a steak?”

“Not even then.”

Root laughed and tapped the sign that said ‘no flash’ with a black-painted nail. “We can’t invite Barry Allen here.”

Shaw shook her head. “You’re such a nerd.”

“I know.” Root put her hands in her back pockets and surveyed the rest of the room. “You know, for something calling itself an aquarium you’d think there would be more fish.”

“We just haven’t got to them yet. Come on.” They headed towards a different room, this one with blue walls designed to look like the sea and a large fish tank taking up the majority of one wall. They were both admiring the peaceful way the fish swum about without a care in the world when a little boy suddenly appeared on the other side and Root shrieked, jumping five feet into the air and trying to hide behind her, which proved difficult due to their height difference. Shaw started, then saw Root’s terrified expression as she cowered behind her and laughed.

“Sameen, why is there a little boy in the tank?”

“It’s a double-sided tank, you moron,” said Shaw.

Root attempted to nonchalantly toss her hair. “I knew that.”

“Sure you did,” deadpanned Shaw.

“I jumped for, you know, dramatic effect.” She waved a hand.

“How about you take your dramatic effect to the underwater tunnel.”

Root almost squeaked. “This place has an underwater tunnel?”

Shaw took her hand and lead her down a staircase to the tunnel. Above them and to both sides was a thick clear wall, presumably made of glass or plastic, that separated them from the water sparkling in the afternoon sunshine. It was filled with tropical fish of all shapes and sizes. One of them, Root was fairly certain, was bigger than Shaw. The taller woman was transfixed, almost oblivious to anything but the water above her. “This is amazing, Sameen. I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“Not even when you were a kid?”

Root didn’t take her eyes off the fish. “My mom wasn’t exactly in a position to take me on day trips.” She wasn’t certain, but at times like this it almost seemed like Shaw was trying to give her the childhood she’d never had with all these trips out, presents and letting Root decorate their apartment however she wanted. And, truly, Root was more grateful that she could ever express. There were still days when she thought it was all a dream; a spectacular, wonderful dream that she would have to wake up from. Then she would open her eyes to their eclectically decorated apartment with the smell of pancakes or a new lava lamp sitting on their bedside table and all the doubts would dissolve like a bath bomb.

“Root,” repeated Shaw, gently tapping her on the shoulder.

“Sorry, what?”

“I asked if you were ready to go to the café.”

“Yes, that would be fantastic.”

…..

The aquarium café was made up of four small lounge areas that customers could choose from. One had an older couple in it, and another a young mother with a little boy. Root opted for one with a view of the car park, and was almost conpletwly enveloped by the comfortable sofa when she sat on it. Picking up the menu to browse, Shaw sat opposite her. “I’ve heard good things about their grilled cheese,” she said offhandedly, not looking up from the menu.

Inwardly, Root smiled. Grilled cheese, as she had recently discovered, was one of her favourite meals and Shaw was willing to take any opportunity to feed her it. It wasn’t too big, but it was still very filling.

A young waitress came to take their order, and ordered Root’s griled cheese and chose a burger for herself. “Thank you.”

“Your food will be with you shortly,” said the waitress before vanishing into the kitchen.

“After this is the obligatory trip to the gift shop to buy a useless pencil with an eraser that doesn’t work,” Shaw said seriously. “It’s, like, day trip protocol.”

“Really?” asked Root skeptically.

Shaw nodded. “Yes, then we go home and email people embarrassing pictures of us stood by the sign for the aquarium doing thumbs-up then print the worst one and stick it to our fridge with a magnet to function as a conversation starter when we have guests.”

Root laughed, a full, deep laugh that gave her a stitch in her left side. “I suppose we should buy a magnet from the gift shop then? You know, to complete the effect.”

“I’ll even let you choose the colour of the magnet. It is your birthday, after all.”

…..

“Did you have fun?” asked Angela. The two women nodded, only looking slightly awkward. Angela retreated to the back room to fetch Bear. “He’s been very good.” Shaw took the leash and absentmindedly stroked between his ears. “Have a nice day.”

“You too,” said Root brightly.

The automatic doors slid open and they walked out into the bright sunshine to play with Bear on the grass in front of the building.


End file.
